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From the Desk of the Maryland Justice Policy Institute, Inc. Excerpts from article printed in April 2002 issue of S.T.C.F. Newsletter: Information relevant to House Bill (HB839) the bill to prohibit the State of Maryland from collecting a commission on prison telephone calls. According to the article Maryland's Comissioner of Corrections, Mr. William Sondervan, provided Del. Joan Cadden with a letter citing the following statistical data:
1. The State of Maryland collected $7,386.610 in telephone money in FY 2001 (up from $6.6 million for FY 2000). 2. Telephone money made up 79.3% of the total FY 2001 income of Inmate Welfare Fund. This fact was allegedly hidden by including both the gross sales and the cost of goods purchased, instead of reporting the net income of the inmate commissary, which is $1,592,688. 3.The total FY 2001 income of the Inmate Welfare Fund (using the commissary's net income) was $9,317,540. In addition to the telephones and the commissary, there was $338,242 in income from "vending machine commissions". 4. The expenditures from the Inmate Welfare Fund account for FY 2001 came to $8,111,864, so that the DOC ended the year with a surplus in this account of $1,205,676. 5. According to Secretary Sondervan, the "expenditures are used to provide various goods and services that benefit the general inmate population." But he then goes on to say that all of these "goods and services are essential to the safe and efficient operation of DOC facilities." If his second statement is true, and I believe that it is, then these items should be paid for by the taxpayers of Maryland from the State's General Fund. The families of the prisoners have no special obligation to pay for the "safe and efficient operation of DOC facilities." DOCs breakdown of the distribution of the Inmate Welfare Fund for FY 2001 is as follows: $2,308,659 or 24.8% for "Chaplains, Nurses, etc. at institutions" $2,129,112 or 22.9% for "Inmate Related Costs" [see DOC note below] $1,741,176 or 18.7% for "Inmate Medical Services (contract/ staff)" $730,513 or 7.9% for Inmate Education" $420,062 or 4.5% for Inmate Grievance Office" $336,315 or 3.6% for "Prisoner Litigation" $314,850 or 3.4% for "Library Services & Books" $232,177 or 2.5% for "inmate Wages" $1,205,676 or 12.9% kept by DOC as a surplus. [DOC Note]: Inmate related Costs includes routine welfare fund expenditures at correctional facilities including (1) Rental of video tapes, (2)Purchases of newspapers, (3)Recreational supplies and equipment. The "inmate Related Costs" amount to about $90 per prisoner per year. According to the December 9, 2001 report of the Legislative Auditor, $518,427 of this $2.1 million was spent on "Recreation Supplies and Movie Rentals:, and another $499,896 was spent on "Gratuities and Welfare Kits", that is stamps, stationary and hygiene supplies provided to indigent inmates. That would leave about $1 million for newspaper and magazine subscriptions and miscellaneous items.Perhaps some of this includes the OLA reported item of $524,023 spent for "Equipment and Repairs". The "Inmate Wages" come to about $10 per prisoner. The gross income from the commissary ($13,163,701) exceeds the "Inmate Wages" by $12,931,524, which means that that the families of the prisoners must be contributing abot that amount to help support their loved ones in prison - not including the $7.3 extra that they are paying into the State for telephone service. Thus the families (are) paying over $20 million to DOC plus the cost of clothing and holiday packages that they send in.
For more information contact: Justice Policy Institute, Inc. P.O. Box 1885
Annapolis, MD 21204
Attn: Frank Dunbaugh, Executive Director or click on Link below
Note: Let the legislators know how important prison issues are
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Setting the Captives Free Ministry
Founded by Evangelist Roxanne Horsey in 1997. On February 14, 2000 Setting the Captive Free (STCF) Prison Ministry took to the air waves on WBGR,until the radio station was sold.
Evangelist Horsey was at one time, incarcerated in the Maryland Correctional Institute for Women in Jessup, Maryland for Armed Robbery charges from November 1985 to April 22, 1988.
During her incarceration she gave her life to Christ. God started moving in her life in a mighty way, giving her favor among other inmates, the administration and eventually the Parole Board.
While incarcerated, God placed on her heart the burden of reaching back into the institutions to help those who were seeking freedom from bondage.
STCF is centered around helping those that are in prison, even prisons without walls.
STCF publishes a newsletter entitled "Setting the Captive Free Ministries Newsletter.
STCF has a capable staff which includes Brother Tyrone M. Colbert, Graphic Designer, Elder Robert Washington, Print Coordinator and Evangelist Roxanne Horsey, Publisher/Editor and Circulation Coordinator
We will be sharing additional information concerning the newsletter in the near future
Continue watching our update column
Articles written by inmates, their family members, Evangelist Horsey and updates on legislative issues that concern prison conditions and reform will be featured.
STCF has no subscription price and is supported through contributions.
articles will be highlighted on Legislation News: Maryland House of Delegates, Press Statement Concerning the Maryland Criminal Justice System, Delegate Salima Siler-Marriott, Words of Encouragement;"Redeemed" article written by Jeffrey (Shorty) Johnson,"
We are looking forward to continually updating this website with articles and editorials that will keep the public aware.Events taking place within the prison system; various ways legislation and conditions impact the lives of the incarcerated men, women, and youth and alternative methods that family members, friends and interested parties can share and implement to keep these men, women and youth encouraged and possibly help when they are released.
So many of these men and women really need your help.
Some of them have no families to turn to or to except a phone call from them.
One out of every ten men and women have no family that care about them and some have passed away leaving them alone, their cell mate is the only family they have and best friend.
It's find to go into prisons and preach the word of God to them, but some of them want to know what can we do for them to help them to get out and to stay out.
Some of these men and women have gotten caught up with the wrong crowd,wanting to be excepted by their peer's while in their heart's they did'nt want to committ the crime in the first place,they just wanted to fit in with the crowd.
Setting the captives free go into Maryland House Of Correction Every second, fouth, fifth saturday of the month,
We except phone calls and receive letters from other prisons and would be happy to hear from you.
God is moving in the maryland house of corrections, every second saturday at lease two or three men are being baptized in the name Jesus and some with the evidence of speaking in tongues.
Going into the prisons have been so rewarding for me that the Lord can use me to help somebody to give them hope, to lead a soul to Christ is such a joy and the angels in heaven rejoice over one sinner that repent.
I get letters from men and women in other prisons, some of these letters bring tears to me eyes,when others bring a smile.
I received a letter from a young man that had been praying to God that he would be able to dance for the Lord and on last saturday,God lead me over to this young man and I took his hand and started dancing with him and he begin to dance in the Holy Spirit, I did't know that this young man had asked God to anoint him to dance, but I had followed the leading of the Holy Spirit and God answered his prayer.
Another one was over beside the baptizing pool, the Holy spirit was all over him, he wouldn't let the Holy Spirit have his way he was quencing the Spirit, I ranned over to the brother and layed hands on him in the name of Jesus until the Holy Spirit was flowing like a river of living water as spirt gave utterance, and after working with the Holy Spirit was able to flow freely.
The Holy Spirit be up in the camp, we be having good old fashion Church in that prison.
These men are on fire for the Lord and given a second chance, I believe they would do right.
I can't judge them for their crimes because they have already been judged, and I don't have no heaven or hell to put them in.
all I can do is to give them hope in the Lord, to let them know if he can do it for me, then he can do it for them.
God has no respect of person what he did for one he can do it for other ' because he is a on time God ,yes he is.
He may not come when you want him but he will be their right on time I tell you he is a on time God yes he is.
I have tryed him and he is a on time God.
He's never to busy,he's never to late, he isn't just sitting around watching T.V or on a bar stool,he is right there when you need him.
Because before we call he will answer ,but we have to call and call with a pure heart.
Isa: 53-1:say Who hath believe our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed.
John: 14:-13 Reads as this And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the father.
Some times you have to whole on to the Lord until you get what you want or until you get to the place where you are going.
Just like a stamp on a letter it has just enough glue to get to the place where it is going, so you have to stick to the letter. The Bible is a letter from God and you have to stick to the letter to get to the place where you are going .
God has a place that he want's to take you, but if you don't stict to the letter then you won't get to the place that he want you to go in him.
STCF try so hard to bring hope to so many people that are hurting from prison walls to streets to the youth centers.
The cares of the world have blinded their minds and hearts that they don't want to give the Lord a try or come to the point of trusting in him.
There is only one way to get to the Lord and that is though Jesus Christ our Lord.
If you go to another country you will need a passport to get in and if you don't have one then you willn't get in, however Jesus is our passport to heaven and if you don't have your passport you can't get in.
The Lord allowed me to go to prison inorder for me to be able to go back into the prisons to let them know that they to need a passport to make it into heaven and like a stamp on a letter they need to stick to it and not give up.
The church inside of Maryland House of Correction is named The Church Of The Living God where men are being saved every week they love and trust in the Lord
the church is always full on saturday nights, they open up the service with praise and worship, we have the drums, keyboard, guitars, it's set up just like a church on the out side and they praise the Lord as if they are on the outside.
While they are in the service the don't think about when the service is over that they have to go back to a dull Dreadful cell they act as if they are free for that moment able to lose themself in the Lord.
When we minister to the men we try to get them to a place in the Lord that they willn't be in denial to the crimes they have committed so that they can be able to take the punisment they have received and praise God freely.
When they except what they did was wrong then and then only can they trust in the Lord and serving their time become easyer for them to serve.
What can be more discouraging then to have to walk around a prison with a dull unform that suppose to blue jeans that has lost it color with big white letters D.O.C standing for department of correction, but I tell them it means(Depenting on Christ) that helps them keep their mind on the Lord.
DID YOU KNOW
Editorial
Written by
Welcome to Setting the Captive Free.
Ministry by website and newsletter, aimed at those who are incarcerated.
But, you don't have to be locked up or locked down to be in prison. Because, whatever has you bound, that is you prison.
I pray that this website and/or newsletter will find you in good health and having peace. That it will encourage your hearts and mind.
That it will bring hope, strength, wisdom, and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Moreover, we want to inform you of things going on in prisons within the State of Maryland, as well as prisons in other states.
We want to keep you abreast of new laws and policies that are being made and passed by the legislators.
Setting the Captive Free was given to me in a vision while I was incarcerated from November 1985 to 1988 at MCIW in Jessup, Maryland on three counts of Armed Robbery.
I had fourteen counts but was only charged with three. Sentenced to thirty years but only served 2 1/2 years on thirty.
During my time of incarcertion, I gave my life to Jesus Christ and God started moving in a mighty and powerful way.
I saw the conditions of the prison and how they were treating the inmates - as if they were some kind of animal; and how the devil was trying to destroy God's people."
I saw a need!
People shouldn't have been living in those kind of conditions, no matter what they've done.
We were still God's children and made in His image not animals.
So, I made a promise to Dod that if He would let me out of prison that I would do His will and come back into the prisons and help those still incarcerated.
Also, I was going to let the public know what was "really" going on behind prison walls.
On April 22, 1988, God opened my prison doors and Setting the Caprive Free Ministries began to bcome a reality, because I knew in my heart I had a vow to keep. And, right then, I knew that I would be back!
In the Fall of 1997, the baby was born, "Setting the Captive Free Ministries". God started opening prison doors for me to go in.
Also, I had the privilege of going on the air waves with Bishop Walter Barnes on WBGR radio station (860 AM); to give them hope over the air and to share my testimony of how Jesus set me free.
To be a Moses and bring His people out of Egypt, out of darkness. To lead them to the "Promise Land" To tell pharoah to let God's people go - to back off. To let the know that Dod don't have no respect of persons. What He did for me He will do the same thing for them. If you let Him, He will, in a mighty way.
God loves each and everyone of us. He will forgive you of all your sins if you confess your sins and accept Jesus Christ as your Savior.
There is nothing that ou have done that Jesus will not forgive you of except blasphemy.
And, I pray that you haven't done that!!
God is a God of a second chance.
Prison was made for the devil and his imps. Hell is his prison.
As a result of sine and the fall of man, prisons were established.
God don't want you locked up like a animal, He knows what it is like to be in prison; He was in prison Himself. The prison that He was in was worse than the ones of today.
So, He knows your pain, He sees your tears and has captured them in a bottle.
He knows what every tear means. He sees and hears your prayers even if it don't seem like He hears - He does.
All He wants you to do is to trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not unto your own understanding, in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will direct your path. (Proverbs 3:5,6).
And cast all your cares upon HIm, for He careth for you (I eter 5:7).
Even if He slays you, you still have to trust in Him.
our life is just a testimony to help somebody else.
So, stay strong and trust God. Don't give up.
God is our reguge and strength, a very present help in trouble.(Psalms 46:1).
For we know that all things work together for good to them that love God. To them who are the called according to His purpose.
So, don't stop loving Him.
The question that that comes is:Are you called?
But, it wasn't until February 14,2000, that Setting the Captive Free Prison Ministry aired every Monday from 6:05 p.m. until 6:35 p.m. on WBGR (860 on your AM dial) where we bring out the truth about what is happening behind prison walls.
So, I would speak out for them because God has not and didn't give me the Spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a very sound mind.
The broadcast is no longer on the air do to them selling the radio station, however I can be reached at my p.o box or cell phone
Until then, may God Bless and Keep your Hearts and Minds in Perfect Peace.
Setting the Captive Free, Roxanne Horsey
